Lil' Laxers

Two 1st Time Champs And a Repeat

2012-05-28T17:58:00.000-07:00

Layola (MD) celebrates their first every NCAA DI Title.

The 2012 college lacrosse season came to a close today with two firsts and one very familiar ending. Layola (MD) hoisting their first every Division 1 National Championship. A first time champion rose in DII also, Dowling was victorious with their first ever Division II National Championship. And of course, Salisbury returned to their third straight national finals to claim their second consequtive crown. With 7 titles in 10 years and an undefeated record at Gillette Stadium the Salisbury Seagulls are starting to look like Tom Brady and the Patriots of the early 2000s.

Salisbury and Layola were both carried to victory by stellar individual performances. The greyhounds Eric Lusby tallied four goals to push the game out of Marylands reach. And Sam Brandman scored a game high six goals to take the game for the seagulls, claiming the tournament's most valuable player award for himself. The Salisbury win continued a 30 game winning streak capping off a remarkable 23-0 season.

With the collegiate season completed its now time for summer ball. Oh, and it's never too early for next years predictions. 3-peat anyone?

The Most Swaged out Teams of the Year

2012-05-14T07:44:00.003-07:00

College Lacrosse has reached a whole new level of swag. Last year Syracuse rocked the Nike Volt accented unis, socks and cleats. This years lineup of crazy color schemes, helmets and gear have made those look benine. With Nike, Adidas, Under Armour and Warrior each trying to one-up each other each week we get to sit by and enjoy. Here are some of this years best and worst unis, gloves, and dome pieces.

Maryland vs Johns Hopkins, or Under Armour vs Nike
Both companies rolled out fresh new get ups for this Maryland state rivalry showdown. Nike went with a leather throwback look with tan gloves and arm pads and a sweet old school helmet wrap. Under Armour showed their home state pride incorporating the Maryland flag into every square inch of these uniforms.

Black on Black.With so many combinations you may not even recognize the Tar Heels when they roll out onto the field. But believe us these unis will make an impression.

This year Syracuse took being the Orangemen to a whole new level, wearing solid orange and white in every combination possible. And for the first time in a while the blue returned reminiscent of 'cuse from the 90s. They may never look the same from one game to the next but Syracuse Orange is unmistakable.

This year even the Ivys stepped it up too, decked out in all new attire. First up is Princeton with their Matte black helmets and trademark tiger stripes.

And finally with arguably the dopest lids and cleats in all of the land, University of Denver. Warrior gave them a head to toe make over in laying the famous rocky mountains in everything from their jerseys to their cleats.

Shout out to Inside Lacrosse and Playground for the majority of the pictures.

Fast Breaks: It's What Makes the Fastest Game on Two Feet Fast

2012-05-01T14:38:00.000-07:00

Fast breaks are what make lacrosse the most exciting sport, With out them the fastest game on the two feet would just be quick (still faster than baseball). A ball carrier sprinting up the field, with the rest of the midfield on his heals, the 3 attackman have to make the most of the situation. For 5 seconds there is an offensive advantage: a four vs three. Incredibly fast ball movement and thrilling goals. This is where games are won and lost.

There is a simple key to success, let the ball do the work. The ball moves faster than your legs, so don't dodge. Three defenders can't cover all four offense men so the faster the ball moves from one attackman to the next the more open the shot will be.

The best formation for the attackman to be in is the L. One man at the "point", which should be a few feet inside the restraining box and a few feet wider than an outside post of the goal. The remaining attackman will set up right above the goal line extended and work their way up to 5 & 5 (5 feet up and 5 feet out from the nearest goal post). In all three of the positions continue to move your feet, a motionless target is an easy target to defend.

It all starts with the middie pushing the transition; at first be hungry for glory and go straight for the goal. Only after the defenses slides to you do you pass the ball. If you pass before the slide than the defense will be able to cover all the attackman and the advantage will be lost. The advantage relies on the defense sliding, so be patient. Space between the point attackman and the middie is crucial. If there is only 5 yards between the two the defense can guard both men. As the middie make the defensemen commit to covering you. And if he doesn't? Green light to the goal!

The next pass is where it gets tricky. The point man has to read the defense. Recognize where the slides are coming from, thats where the open man is. But being a good recipient is just as important as being a good passer. If the man guarding you slides, you are now open. But its on you too be seen. Move your feet and get into that open space. The same goes for the passer. Flat footed passing = bad passing.

Then comes the fun part, scoring. Dont fire the shot, you are only 5 feet away. But hey, we'll save that one for another time.

Lacrosse is fast. So move fast, pass fast, and think fast. Happy scoring.

Is there such a thing as a "good loser"?

2012-04-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

"Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser." Right?

Losing sucks. You should never want to lose, and hate when you lose, but there is such a thing as being a good loser. You need to lose first to truly appreciate a great victory. You need to experience just coming up short to really understand the thrill of coming out just on top. If nothing else losing should motivate you and remind you why you have to work so hard. Winning can be a double edge sword. You become confident, fat and happy and forget why you practice with so much intensity and sometimes it takes a lose to remind you. Learn from the mistakes of a lose and continue to move on. If you leave the field knowing you gave everything you had than there is nothing more you can ask for. But never settle. When you win next time it will make it that much more sweeter.

Never confuse being a good loser with being a happy loser. Being a happy loser in unacceptable, never be content with coming close. You should go into every contest wanting, expecting and believing you are going to win. When you strive for mediocracy and are ok with close but never quite getting there, you will always be mediocre.

New Posts Coming Soon

2012-04-06T09:32:00.001-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted a new article in a while, I have been super busy. In the spirit of being a student athlete, refresh what it means to be a student first. In the meantime check out this 2011 College highlight reel, should get you pretty pumped up.

How about that ripped net at 1:45...wow!

Opportunities.

2012-03-15T19:47:00.002-07:00

This weeks post comes from a guest writer, Finn Hadlock. A Maine state high school standout, Hadlock is now a midfielder on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Men's Lacrosse team. If anyone knows anything about taking advantage of your opportunities it would be a freshmen on a top tier collegiate team. Absorb the wisdom.

Lacrosse, like any sport, is one where you need to take advantage of your opportunities. It starts by earning playing time. Almost all of us have been lower on the depth chart than we want to be during our careers and the fastest way to move up is by playing well. You may only get a minute or two of playing time so you need to make the most of every second. Learning how to deal with this pressure you put on yourself to perform can be challenging and frustrating but it is important to stick to your fundamentals and to work as hard as you can.

Being a New Englander, I have grown up idolizing Tom Brady and he is the perfect example of a player making the most of the opportunity given to him. In 2001 Tom Brady started of the season as the 3^rd string quarterback and was almost cut, but due to the injury to New England’s franchise quarterback Drew Bledsoe, Tom Brady got his chance and as they say the rest is history. He made the most of his opportunity by being ready to play and performing when he got his chance.

One way to make the most of your opportunities is by picking the right times to take chances. Going up against the other team’s best defender the first time you touch the ball is a good way to end up back on the bench. It’s important to take advantage of matchups within the game. If you believe you have a good match up, take advantage of that opportunity within the game to show not only that you can outperform your opponent but also have the intelligence to know when to dodge, take a shot, throw a take away check, etc.

Take advantage of every second of playing time by understanding your match ups as well as working as hard as you can. Just like being opportunistic can help you move quickly up your teams depth chart, being lazy will put you in the dog house and limit your opportunities. No matter what, enjoy the game and keep playing hard.

WInning Face-offs From the Wing

2012-03-07T10:54:00.000-08:00

Possession is key. The longer the ball is in your teams stick, the better chance you have to win. Face-offs are where you win that extra possession that could change the game. The face-off player is fighting at the X but the wing players are just as important. The wing players can make and break the work of the face-off guy.

As a wing player, your objective is to get the ball of the ground and too your offense. Simple as that. Many times wing players run straight down the half line right at the X, this doesn't help your teammate. You aren't allowed to touch either player facing off and it wont matter who wins the draw anyways, it will now be a six guy free for all. Communicate with your face-off guy, know where he is going to try to put the ball and get to that space. But getting to that space is useless if the other team is right on your hands, make seperation from your opponent; lean in and V-cut, use your body to box out and gain position. Be aggressive but be mindful that if you lose the ground battle you will be on D-fense. Don't put your self in a position where you will jeopardize your ability to play sound D-fense.

The middies shouldn't be the only ones getting involved in the face-offs. Attack and Defense should both be ready to help get that ball. Obviously attack and defense have to wait for the possession call to leave the restraining box. The moment the ball is picked up by the other team the attack should ride as hard as they can to the mid line. If you are able to get back the ball that is another possession for your team, and one less for your opponent. An extra possession could be the difference between a win and loss, so don't take face-offs lightly.

Being a Student of the Game

2012-02-26T08:37:00.000-08:00

ESPN released their entire 2012 College Lacrosse TV Schedule back in January, and if you haven't seen it yet, here you go. There is nothing like going to watch live college lacrosse game, but the next best thing is watching it on TV. With ESPNs 37 game coverage you can watch the best match ups this season has to offer right from your couch. We posted an article last spring about being a student of the game. Don't just watch lacrosse as a fan watch it as a student. Take the opportunity to learn from the best lacrosse players in the nation. And with ESPNs most expansive lacrosse coverage ever it has never been easier.

Lacrosse is an incredibly fast paced game no matter what level or age you play at. There are so many moving parts which makes it hard to get a grasp for lots of the little details; like where everyone is supposed to be on the field, understanding off sides or visualizing a pick and roll. That is why it is extremely important to watch lacrosse. Its easier to visualize and understand the things your coach has been teaching you.

Things to look for while watching the game...

Take note on how quickly and comfortable every player can transition between their right and left hands. The ball never stays still. The more the ball moves the more out of place the defense will become. Sharpen up your sticks and play some wall ball.

The offenses may seem complex but they are the same concepts that any middle school or high school team will run. Pick and roll, cut the open space, draw and dump. You can learn a lot by watching the best do it.

"If you want to walk, play baseball." There is never a moment where a player is not running their absolute hardest.

Rides are not an opportunity to relax and catch your breath, its a chance to play some quick defense and get a free possession. Clears are just as important; you cant score with the ball in the D-zone

Learn the positions, understand the responsibilities for every individual, defense, middy and attack. There is more to a position then simply scoring or stopping the other team.

Even the guys on the sideline are paying attention listening to their coach and ready to jump in the game.

Evolution of College Lacrosse

2012-02-19T10:46:00.000-08:00

The 2012 Division I college lacrosse season marks a huge transition in the sport. University of Michigan's inaugural season represents the next chapter in college lacrosse. The expansion of the sport in the Midwest is now in full swing. The inclusion of giant state schools will change the landscape of competition. The days of Ivy League dominance are over; their presence in Division I will continue to wane. Though Ivy League players and coaches have not lost their hunger, they cannot compete with the larger schools. Coach Tierney's departure from Princeton University for Denver marked a turning point in the sport. At Denver, the academic standards for Tierney's recruits and players are not nearly as rigorous Princeton's and it's peers. The search for an LSM who is big, strong, fast, has an amazing stick becomes a little more difficult when he needs to have a 3.5 High School GPA.

Denver and the state schools have something else the Ivy's cant offer the countries top recruits: money. The Ivy's cannot give Athletic scholarships, and while there are ways around it, it's harder to attract student athletes when great programs like Duke, North Carolina, and Ohio State can offer full ride tuition.

With the first Ohio State-Michigan Division I lacrosse game set for April 14, the lax world should be excited. Lacrosse is no longer a small University game but is on its way to becoming a huge, nationally crazed, cash cow like NCAA football and basketball. Schools are starting to realize the advantages of fielding these teams. Schools like Michigan bring millions of dollars of revenue every year from football; tickets, licensing, and most of all television. Lacrosse has the potential to be just as big and Michigan's commitment to their lacrosse program is proof. We should we pumped at the possibility of one day watching one of the best rivalries in all sports duke it out in the Big House in front of 100,000 fans. And who knows, perhaps March Madness could be overshadowed by the Lacrosse Final Four.

And for those who doubt, think about this. Princeton won 22 football Division 1 championships in under 40 years at the turn of the last century, now the entire Ivy and Division 1-AA Football league are an after thought.

Setting Goals

2012-02-11T13:25:00.000-08:00

On Lil' Laxers we talk a lot about improving your game, working hard in the off season and becoming the best lacrosse player you can be. This is our goal and we assume is your goal as a reader. All of your hard work seems kind of silly without a reason...like trying to accomplish a goal. Goals are so crucial because they give us something to reach for. A goal can remind you every day when you lace up your cleats why you are pushing yourself so hard. Being the best you can be is an obvious goal but more specific goals are necessary too. There are two types of goals and each are equally important.

Firstly, there are short term goals: maybe one season, a week, or even a single game. These can be as simple as do not drop a pass for an entire practice or be able to cradle with your off hand by the end of the season. Your goals are there for you to focus and fuel your drive. The other kind of goals are long term goals, targets that you keep in the back of your mind for down the road. This is where you can really show your ambition. We always hear, shoot for the stars, this is your chance. Choose a lofty goal, put your blinders on and work as hard as you can every day to get there. It wont happen immediately, but if you continue to push one day it will come true.

Writing down your goals will help you visualize what you really want to accomplish and make sure that you remain focused. Make a check list before every practice on what you need to work on. Keep these little notes and compare them week in and week out to make sure you are truly living up to your own expectations. Having a visual reminder helped me stay focused. Freshmen year in high school I was fortunate enough to make the varsity squad but did not get a lot playing time. After the season I hung my Varsity letter on my wall. Every morning when I woke up bright and early to go workout the P on my wall reminded me what my goals were; to play on varsity. Everyone is different, but find what drives you.

Setting goals for your self is important for everything in life, not just for sports. Setting expectations and working towards them works in the classroom as well. Whatever your goals are, write them down, stay focused and keep working your hardest.

Aiming: Shoot Where the Goalie is Not

2012-02-05T13:53:00.000-08:00

Everyone talks about scoring goals; getting the most power, the best accuracy, under hand, side arm, worm burner, "btb". Power, accuracy, and crowd pleases are all useless if you are not shooting in the right spots. "shoot where the goalie is not", seems simple enough but its the key to not just shooting but scoring goals. It doesn't matter if you shoot 100mph and can shoot with accuracy with in a inch if you are aiming stick side high everything. The more the goalie has to move to save the ball the more likely he won't, whether it's left to right or up to down, keep the ball away from the goalies stick. So aim for corners. Think about it, if the keepers stick is by his head the corners are the farthest distance in every direction. If the pass comes across the crease so is the goalie, meaning he can't block the far post. If is stick is high put it low, vis versa (in the corners of course)...and thats where your super strength and accuracy come handy. Many coaches tell you to bounce your shot at the goalies feet, hoping the bounce will catch the goalie off guard. When a goalie sees the ball go low so does he, when the ball bounces it meets him half way making his job easier. Rather than aiming for the ground, pick your corner and go for the netting. Throwing in a stick or head fake can make the goalie go one way, opening up corners for you to pick. It doesn't need to be an extravagant full body acting job, just a quick head nod or stick pump fake will get the job done. Even the slightest movement from the goalie can make all the difference (if you can aim well). And remember to change planes. If you fake high, don't shoot high. You are only going to make the goalie look great...at your expense. Just remember shoot where the goalie not and start raking up the Gs.

Its All in the Kicks

2012-01-29T13:53:00.000-08:00

With more cleats being made for lacrosse than ever before you have more options on what type of cleats are right for you. Lacrosse specific cleats blend the support of a football cleat while lending the flexibility and speed of a soccer shoes. Most lacrosse cleat models are made with different spikes and that's where the decision making comes in. Each have their own advantages, but you most definitely dont have to buy them all.

Metal Screw In Cleats. Everyone wants to "click clack" while charging the tunnel, and luckily they are extremely useful cleats beyond their sound effects. The stiff metals spikes come in multiple different lengths for your preference. Being able to change your spikes is one of screw ins best advantages. This makes them the best option for wet and muddy grass fields. With such large spikes these cleats are perfect for big hard cuts. Unfortunately most turf fields have rules against wearing metal spikes and for good reason. The metal not only tears up the turf but increases your chance or injury.
Plastic Screw In Cleats. plastic screw ins give all the advantage of their metal counterpart but with extra hazard to your home field and yourself. The beauty of screw in cleats is if you don't like the spikes, you can always replace them.
Plastic Molded Cleats. Plastic molded cleats aren't interchangeable . The spikes are smaller than the screw ins but there are twice as many, but the extra traction means more speed. Plastic Molded Spikes are probably the most usable cleats. Screw ins might offer slightly better traction of wet grass but plastic molded makes up for it in versatility. They can go back and forth between grass and turf seamlessly, which is a big relief when you only have to break in one new pair of cleats this preseason.
Turf Cleats. Turf Cleats are still reminiscent of an age of lacrosse played on astro turf apposed to artificial grass turf. Unfortunately the little rubber nobs built into the sole do little on the grass like turf, and the rarity of astro turf renders these cleats useless. Don't cross them off your shopping list though, "turf dogs" make great training shoes as well as fashionable kicks.

Snowy, Cold, Windy with a 100% Chance of Wet.

2012-01-23T11:13:00.000-08:00

Preseason practices can be miserable if you aren't prepared for the weather. Here are some quick tricks to brace the cold that will make early spring practices a little more bearable.

Wear Insulating Winter Gear, (Under Armor, Nike, North Face, etc) that will keep all your body warmth in. Clothing should be form fitting so that you can stay agile.

Bring your sticks inside the night before playing, don't leave them in the car or the garage. If your stick spends all night outside in the cold you might as well throw it out, it's as good as broken.

Putting some athletic tape over your helmet ear holes (tape on the inside) will block out the howling wind. Not only will you stay warmer but you may be able to hear your coach yelling over the wind.

Preseason practice comes with wet, icy, and snowy conditions, make sure your stick is up to the challenge. Refresh yourself on how to tape the perfect stick and prep and take care of a wet pocket.

Nothing is worse than putting on cold and wet equipment, take the extra five minutes after practice and you won't regret it. Believe it or not wet gear doesn't dry in a damp closed bag in the garage, it needs to be laid out to dry. (that does not mean the kitchen floor, I am trying moms) Stuffing gloves and cleats with paper towels will soak up most of the moisture and putting them next to a heat vent will dry them completely.

NLL Preseason Brawl

2011-11-30T19:57:00.001-08:00

We by no measure condone fighting, but still check out this clip of a NLL preseason fight. What makes this fight different from every other hockey or NLL fight you ask? Not only is it preseason, but both guys are on the same team! Even weirder The Rochester Knighthawks are promoting this video on their website and youtube channel. Can you imagine the Heat releasing a video of Lebron, Bosh and Wade going toe to toe in a 3 pronged death match? Exactly! The only thing positive to take away from this video is that both players are wearing rib pads, they know whats good.

Student-Atheltes...Students First

2011-11-12T09:36:00.001-08:00

With lacrosse practice, school work, family and everything else we have on going in our lives we are all extremely busy. We all need to find to accomplish everything we need too. We need to find time to practice all of our skills and hone them for our games and team practices while juggling demanding academic expectations as well. And while lacrosse is obviously very important we are all, Student-Athletes. Students first, so you must able to balance and manage your time.

To start off know what needs to get done and when. Keep an agenda, calendar or sticky note system, what ever works for you to keep you organized. When it comes to school work procrastinating is the worst thing possible, why stress about a project for three weeks and then pull an all nighter when you can do 10 minutes every night and finish early. You will be less stressed and produce better school work. Be proactive and stay on top of your assignments.

Once you finish your school work you can once again focus on being an athlete. By laying out all of your assignments you can more easily see where you have free time to practice, whether its doing some lifting or playing wall ball. You can block off daily slots to practice. Like you school work it shouldn't all be done for 5 hours straight one day a week but rather 20 to 30 minutes a day every day. Although you may not have full schedules now time management is extremely important, especially with aspirations of playing high school and even college lacrosse. As the school work become more demanding so does the lacrosse, and then simply having enough time is your biggest enemy. So learn now how to make the most of your day.

No If, Ands, or Butts about it!

2011-11-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

All sticks come with a factory round rubber butt end, most players substitute them for alternatives. Some people use just tape leaving the hole open and metal exposed. Others cover the hole with a soda or beer bottle cap. Everyone finds there own ways to cover their butt, but there are rules that prohibit certain things. Unfortunately, they seem to be somewhat of mystery.

There are a few rules that are extremely specific but leave a lot of room for variation. Your sticks end can not be hallow and no metal can be exposed. So you have a few options, either use the factory butt end or cover the end with tape or use a bottle cap the rest of the way that you tape is up too you. Below is the best way to avoid the rubber butt.

Things you will need.

You will need a shaft with no tape, two rolls of hockey tape (hockey tape supplies better grip then athletic tape or anything else), a soda bottle cap and a pair of scissors. Start by wedging the bottle cap on the bottom of the shaft, you may have to squeeze it sideways to force it on. Don't worry if the cap isnt perfectly level or round anymore, after the tape is applied you wont be able to tell the difference. Take your first roll of tape and rap it around the cap a few times to secure it. The edge of the tape should be level with the top of the cap. Then begin to tape the part of the shaft where you will keep your hand. Start 8 inches or so up the shaft and work your way down, tape with a little overlap. You shouldnt be able to see any stick in between the tape, Finish right below the cap.

Take your second roll of tape and cut the end in half to make a "half roll". This is the size of tape we will use to tape the butt end. The butt will be taped in two tiers. First, tape below the cap, continue until the tier is level with the cap. Then tape around the cap, going until the butt is big enough for your preference. You now have a nice safe and secure butt end as well as a great grip.

Questions!

2011-11-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

I rely on your feedback! If you have any suggestions, comments, of questions feel free to email them to me at, lil.laxers.blog@gmail.com. I will be sure to answer to the best of my ability and share it with everyone (dont worry I ll make them anonymous). Look forward to hearing from all of you. Thank you.

Tryouts

2011-10-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

With the offseason coming to a close, tryouts and the beginning of the season are right around the corner. Your have prepared tirelessly in the offseason, so be ready to have a great tryout. Some people psych themselves out, get in their own heads and don't play to their potential. Don't let that happen to you, keep a positive attitude. Go into tryouts knowing you have the right skills and are in the best shape possible.

Returner or first year player no one is ever guaranteed a spot, try your hardest and earn the respect you deserve. Coaches understand that you might be nervous, so if you drop a pass, dont hang your head, shake it off and go get that ground ball! No matter what always work your hardest, the extra effort will take you a long way.

Be a coachable player, that means maintaining that all around positive attitude. Run on and off the field at all times, be attentive in huddles and show the coaches and your teammates that you mean business. Listen to what your coaches have to say to you, they are telling you it for reason. They know the game and they know what is best for you.

Overall, be comfortable, be confident and play the game you love the way you know how.

Climbing the Ladder

2011-10-07T17:30:00.000-07:00

So far we have worked on our endurance and core strength, the next few weeks will be all about speed. Regardless of position speed is essential: your first step, your break away spend, or your ability to catch up are all important. One of the best ways to work on your foot speed is with ladder exercises. This is a piece of training equipment that you can not live without. They are not incredibly expensive, and they are definitely worth the investment.

Below is a video courtesy of our friend Chris Barnard from Overtime Athletics. The video is a compilation of 8 ladder exercises, varying from easy to very difficult. Take a look.

Like almost every exercise we do, form is key. Notice how the man in the video always has his knees bent in an athletic stance, he isn't bobbing up and down he is staying low. His arms are also pumping in sequence with his legs, like he is running. Don't try to go to fast you will only trip, make sure you are well balanced and going at a fast but manageable pace

Begin by trying the first five techniques: one foot, two feet, two feet in one foot out, two feet in two feet out, and two feet lateral. Do each variation down and back ways 3 times with 20 seconds rest in between technique. This can also serve as an endurance drill so push yourself. As you begin to get comfortable move on to the other three more challenging techniques.

Shape Up: Playing Wall Ball

2011-10-04T09:13:00.000-07:00

This week's article is throw back (pun intended), we are brining back an old post to remind everyone how to properly practice your throwing and catching, nothing is more important!

The more you work on your stick skills the better they get and lacrosse is a sport where continual practice is essential. While having a catch with your buddy is great he can't give you the repetition and consistency of a wall. Playing wall ball is the best way to improve your skills. You can use a cinderblock wall in the gym, a brick wall behind your house or a bounce back. What ever you use make sure that you don't have your mom chasing after you for breaking a window.

Aggressive Athletic Stance

The most important thing while working the wall is to practice like you play. Make all your movements realistic and at game speed because otherwise it's pointless. Start with an aggressive athletic stance, your opposite foot forward, knees bent, chest up and out and elbows up and back. Before you even pick up stick, practice throwing with your hand. Exaggerate every motion, stepping forward, arching your arm, snapping through. This is how you should always throw and catch the ball. The lack of having a stick and second hand to rely on should show you how important it is to fully follow through. When you do pick up your stick, stand a good 8 to 10 feet away to give your self room to move, throw and catch. No matter what type of wall you are using pick a spot, a crack, a brick, and piece of tape and aim for that spot continuously. Work on your aim and consistency. Remember to keep your hands away from your body and to always move your feet, step towards your target and follow through.

Keeps hands up and away

from your body

This is your opportunity to work on your off hand. Every time you throw against the ball try to get in at least 50 concise, quick, clean, precision passes with each hand. Once you get comfortable practice catching with one split dodging and then throwing with other. Hopefully after enough practice this motion will be fluid.

To continue to be successful you must be comfortable and efficent using both of your hands, so practicing on the wall is incredibly important. Try to 'play wall ball' at least twice a week. No matter what level of lacrosse you play at, you must continue to practice the fundamentals.

Getting Buff from Home

2011-09-24T08:35:00.000-07:00

In the game of lacrosse you rely on your entire body to generate power, everything from your legs, your upper body, your core, and your arms. You dont have to go to gym and throw around big weights to become strong and powerful. There are simple exercises you can do around the house to increase your strength. Spend 20 minutes before school performing these workouts and you will see the difference in no time.

Push-Ups (20 reps)
Push-Ups are not just for your chest, they are great for strengthening your back, arms, chest, and core. It is probably one of the best no weight exercises you can do. Everyone thinks they know how to do a pushup, but do you really?

Squat Jumps (10 reps)

This exercise is great for you leg and core strength and explosion. Watch the first video below on how to a correct squat but the exercise doesn't end there. Watch the second video to see how to explode out of your stance and land softly in the same position. The absolute most important thing here is form!

Underhand Pull Ups (10 reps or as many as you can do)
The video says it all. The best upper body work out possible. Remember not to swing or wiggle, slowly lower yourself down and pull straight up.

Forearm Hammer Curl (15 reps each hand)
Your form arms are essential when it comes to having follow through power on your shot. The forearm hammer curl does not require a lot of weight or time, but will have a huge effect.

Traditional Sit up (20 reps)
The core is one of the most important muscle groups when it comes to power. Its in your core that all your power from your legs is transferred, combined and channeled through your arms. The Sit up is the perfect exercise to target the abdominals and the core, but like the Pushup not many people know exactly how to do them correctly. Watch the video below for the perfect Sit up technique.

The repetition are meant as a starting point. If they get to easy, challenge yourself by first trying to do another set of all the exercises, then maybe add another 5 to 10 repetition. In all these workout push yourself to do them all correctly, have good form and complete every repetition. And of course remember to have your Wheaties and a good balanced breakfast before school.

Shape Up!

2011-09-16T11:05:00.000-07:00

Lacrosse is the fastest game on two feet so you need to be fit to play. While running long distance is a great work out it doesn't get you in the kind of conditioning you need for lacrosse. Lacrosse is a game of sprints where you must have short bursts of speed continuously. So sprints, and lots of them, are the key to getting into good lacrosse shape.

When training, try to avoid doing your running of pavement, concrete, or even gym floors, the repetitive pounding wears on your joints; traditional grass or turf are the best to train on. The best way to start is to mark off 20 yards. Whether you use cones or a pair of gloves it doesn't matter, as long as you mark off a start and a finish. When you do run your sprints its important to finish the sprint. Don’t run up to the finish point, run through it. You should stop another 5 yards past the finish line. Since it is such a short distance this should be an explosive, all out sprint from beginning to end.

Before you start set a goal of how many consecutive sprints you think you can do. Don’t be over ambitious but also don’t underachieve. Whatever you think you can realistically think you can do add one on too and that is your goal. Working out is all about pushing your limits. Throughout this training you should ALWAYS BE MOVING. When you finish a sprint, turn around walk back to the finish line and jog to the start line to go again. And when you finish whatever you do, don’t bend over; stand up tall and catch your breath.

As you practice more and more your endurance will increase and so will your speed. Hopefully your goals will get higher and higher too. When ten 20 yard sprints become easy, move it back to 30 yards and try again. Unfortunately, getting into shape isn’t like riding a bike, it doesn’t stick with you. If you don’t run for long enough you will lose all your progress. So it is extremely important to stay on top of your conditioning. When spring comes around and your opponents are sucking wind, you ll be glad you put in the time.

Boston Cannons Finally Break Through

2011-09-10T16:33:00.000-07:00

Finally. After 11 straight playoff qualifications for the Boston Cannons, the franchise finally hoisted their first Steinfeld Trophy as Major League Lacrosse Championship this past August. The whole team and especially their super caliber leader, Paul Rabil, were ecstatic about the victory,

“This victory was just a great cumulative team effort." Paul Rabil told MLL.com after the win, "You know I’ve been asked in years past about the Cannons breaking through [in the playoffs], and how the team has had some unfortunate finishes but that’s really a credit to the talents of the rest of the league. There are great players on all the teams and the Cannons have just come up short. But the way this team played in the present is such a great testament to the effort of everyone on the team.”

The Cannons had a magical season starting off 6-1 and then caped off their championship campaign with 5 straight victories. The whole team contributes their success to the passion and close nit family feel of the organization. What ever they are doing in Boston, it is working.

It seems extremely appropriate that the Boston Cannons won this year of all years. It wasn't two years ago that 4 teams folded, including two teams that played int the leagues 2001 inaugural season. WIth the loss of the Philadelphia Barrage, New Jersey Pride, Los Angeles Rip Tide, and the San Francisco Dragons the league was left with only 6 teams. So it seemed fitting that this year The Boston Cannons, one of the few original franchises left, won the championship. A symbol of the longevity and potential of the league.

Despite the past troubles the league has had, the future looks promising. This past December Commissioner David Gross announced a confirmed plan for two more expansion teams in 2012. One in Charlotte, North Carolina and Columbus, Ohio, both cities with quickly growing Lacrosse markets. With national growing interest, international television cover on ESPN, and an extremely competetive and diverse league the MLL has a lot to look forward too. And all of us as fans should be excited for the ride!

Summer Time, Livin's Easy

2011-07-04T10:15:00.000-07:00

Summer lacrosse is some of the most fun lacrosse, all day tournaments, 4 games a day,

picnicing for every meal, camps with your teammates, and crazy uniforms. It is also a great time

to work on your skills and to really improve your game, take advantage of all the free time and

great weather. But just playing for your summer club team on the weekend, game after game,

does not count as practicing. Those are games where you can see the improvement in your

shot or maybe try the move you have been working on all spring. The key though is to not be

sitting on your couch all your summer. Games, tournaments, and camps are chances for you to

display and hone your new skills not practice them. With that said put on your craziest lax

penny, nicest golf shorts, highest nike socks, some sweet shades and enjoy the summer.

Under Armour: Protecting Their Secrets.

2011-06-27T16:54:00.000-07:00

UA Website

Under Armour, the sports apparal company that started by creating warm weather gear for lacrosse teams of Maryland, has finally announced the development of their own lacrosse equipment line, complete with protective gear and sticks. But just like their slogan "We Must Protect this House", the details for their products are very slim. Other than a few leaked pictures by our friend over at laxunation.com and a small posting on the Under Armour website nothing is known. And while there is no apparent release date we will all have to just wait for the highly anticipated launch.

UA Spectre Glove

UA Control Shafts

UA Demolish Head